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The opposition Peoples Democratic Party has decided to vote in favour of the resolution seeking clemency for Afzal Guru to be tabled in the state assembly during its forthcoming short session beginning in Srinagar on Monday.
The decision to vote for the resolution seeking clemency for the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was taken at the PDP legislature party meeting on Friday chaired by the party president Mehbooba Mufti.
"Our party has always opposed capital punishment. When the death sentence of Nalini, convicted in Rajiv Gandhi murder can be commuted, why can't that of Afzal Guru be commuted?
The controversial resolution for clemency to Guru shall come up for discussion in the state assembly on September 28. The resolution is to be tabled by the independent MLA Engineer Abdul Rashid in the state assembly.
The PDP president said that it was unfortunate that 'no action had been taken even in a single case of 120 killings last summer'. She said the party would 'also focus on the very serious revelations about thousands of unmarked graves in different areas of the state'.
"We would press the government for action on the four directions issued by the state Human Rights Commission on the subject. These include identification of the killed persons, payment of compensation to their families, prosecution of the guilty and creation of a mandatory body to take specific action on the whole issue."